In 2010, Odessa hosted the Odessa Entertainment Awards ceremony, a national music and entertainment award that honors the best representatives of the Ukrainian show business scene. The event brought together artists, promoters, media, and music industry experts. It was at this awards ceremony that Yurii Vasiliev, better known as DJ Maniak, won the title of “DJ of the Year.”

We spoke with Yurii about the award, competition, professional development, and his path to the world stage.

— Yurii, the Odessa Entertainment Awards was considered the most prestigious national award in Ukraine’s music and entertainment sector. How would you describe the Odessa Entertainment Awards?

It was a major, high-quality award that recognized the best in the industry. The 2010 Odessa Entertainment Awards brought together different segments of the industry for the first time in Ukraine: artists, TV channels, promotional companies, clubs, DJs, and producers.

Club culture is growing rapidly: new names, technical capabilities, and ratings are emerging. The award became a focal point and an indicator of who is really driving the industry forward and setting the pace.

— How many nominations were there and how fierce was the competition?

How did you manage to win?

In 2010, the award had more than twenty nominations, each with really strong contenders. 

The competition in the DJ of the Year category is very fierce. The Ukrainian electronic scene is growing rapidly, new styles are emerging, clubs are starting to bring in European artists, and the level of sets and live performances is constantly improving. Every DJ wants to sound recognizable and does everything to stand out.

I compete with DJs whom I sincerely respect — technical, charismatic, creative. Each of us has our own audience, our own style, our own character in music. Therefore, winning among such rivals is a serious success for me.

I think it helps that I already have my own signature sound. I play energetic house with progressive elements, and people know exactly what to expect from me: drive, rhythm, quality transitions, and clean sound. This creates an atmosphere that the audience feels from the very first minutes. Contact with the audience is also essential. It's important for me to read people's moods, respond to their emotions, and catch those moments when I need to amp things up or, conversely, give them a pause. The technical side also gives me an advantage. I experiment a lot with live transitions, effects, loops, mixes, and add my own elements. This makes the set lively, unpredictable, and interesting. And, of course, the fact that I perform a lot now plays a role. It creates recognition and wins new fans.

— What does winning this prestigious award in the DJ of the Year category mean to you personally?

— It was the moment when I felt that my work had ceased to be just a craft and had become a cultural phenomenon. A DJ is a director of dynamics who controls the crowd with the help of musical dramaturgy, mixes, harmonious transitions and control of tempo.

The award was recognition of my efforts and love for my work. It gives me tremendous motivation to move forward and become even stronger and better at what I do.

— Do you want to go beyond the Ukrainian scene and conquer the world?

 It's not just a desire — it's my main goal. The world is now open, music travels easily, and I see that Ukrainian music is not lagging behind European music in terms of technique or the level of DJs. Ukrainian musicians today can confidently perform on any international stage.

I am actively expanding my catalog of tracks and remixes, preparing my own live sets that are suitable for large European venues. I am gradually entering into cooperation with festivals, labels, and promoters — step by step, I am entering the international club scene.

My goal is to create a recognizable brand so that the name Maniak is heard in different countries and associated with high-quality, energetic music.

Thank you to everyone who has been there for me, who voted, who dances to my sets and gives me the strength to move forward. Your support is my energy. And I promise: there will be even more drive, sincere emotions, and high-quality sound in the future.